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Sea Creatures Trivia
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Written and Illustrated by:
Marie Christine Sipin
 The earth is composed of 30% land and 70% water. We are surrounded by bodies of water and most of our needs are connected to these waters-our life source. The sea is a vast resource of food, medicines, and minerals. We fish here for sustenance, for marine species that yield chemical cures for cancer and other diseases and even obtain oil and natural gas from the seabed.
Today, overharvesting of marine life, destructive fishing methods, oil and garbage pollution and overexploitation threaten our seas. We are in danger of losing a huge number of marine species. This means the future generation will not be able to experience the same vastness of sea creatures and marine ecosystem if we keep going at this rate. The dying breed will fail to regenerate, reproduce and become extinct.
As a tribute to these animals at risk and others like them which may also be in danger, let us try and get to know these magnificent creatures better:
SEA TURTLES- These turtles are giant ones that have been around since the dinosaur age! Yes! They are unusual looking creatures which are able to thrive both in land and in water. They live in the sea but they lay their eggs on the beach. People want these poor turtles for their meat and shells! Due to this hunting and other factors like pollution, the estimated ratio of baby turtles survival is only one in 1,000!
BLUE WHALE- Even as the largest animal in the world, the blue whale still cannot protect itself from being extinct! There used to be 250,000 in the 1900's and now they number no more than 5,000! Sadly, marine pollution and the people's need for it's meat, oil and whalebone are still threatening to decrease this number.
GIANT OTTER- These cute looking creatures have webbed feet, strong tails and they also possess very precious pelts that fetch a high price in the market. The poor giant otters live in the narrow creeks of South America and are fast dwindling in number also because of pollution.
SEA COW- The only herbivorous mammal left has a torpedo shaped body with short flippers and whale-like flukes. Same with dolphins, sea cows have been heard to emit bird-like sounds! Sea cows or "dugongs" can live on for seventy years, however their reproduction rates are very slow. It takes three to five years after giving birth to a single calf, before one can reproduce again. Add to this, the ongoing pollution and the hunting of these helpless creatures by people interested in its meat as a delicacy and what we have is a continuing decline in its number.
MEDITERRANEAN MONK SEAL- This seal is found in the waters of Greece and is considered Europe's most endangered animal. Marine pollution in its natural habitat are threatening the lives of these furry white seals.
HUMPBACK WHALES- The majestic humpback whales are another hapless breed. They dwell in the shores of Dominican Republic and Brazil. They are hunted and subjected to continuous threat from pollutants in their breeding areas.
So, what can we do to help? Here are some steps to help you brainstorm on other possible ways to protect our seas:
- get in touch with your local organizations in school or in your community and help spread awareness about the near extinction of these endangered species.
- Ask your science or biology teacher to organize a field trip to local zoos or safari parks and check for the conditions of the animals there.
- Find out if your local pet store sells fish or reptiles caught in the wild. Do not support pet stores that patronize these activities.
- Do not be careless in throwing out your trash, most of the garbage end up in the seas, raise nutrient level and fuels the growth of algae, killing marine life.
- You can help in the proper waste disposal movement to curb the growing number of sewage that causes coastal degradation.
- Refrain from using plastic and other non-recyclable materials that just contribute to the water pollution.
- In souvenir shops, do not patronize those that sell marine curios and other souvenirs made from materials taken from the sea.
- Support stores and shops that give back to the environment like The Body Shop, etc.
- Watch television programs like Discovery Channel and read environmental books and magazines like National Geographic to further your knowledge about wild animals.
- When on holiday, check out the beaches and see if it is clean. If you find algae and debris floating in the water, take note of the place and tell your teacher or report it to an environmental organization like WWF (World Wildlife Fund).
- Still on beaches, check out the shores and see if there are turtle eggs lying about. Find out if these eggs are amply protected from hunters who take these babies to sell or eat!
Lastly, respect our seas. If our seas die, so will we.
Here are the numbers of organizations active in this noble aim to preserve marine life:
In the Philippines:
Kabang Kalikasan ng Pilipinas or World Wildlife Fund
23-A Maalindog Street, U.P. Village Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Philipines
433-3220n to 22
e-mail: kkp@mozcom.com
WORLWIDE ORGANIZATIONS:
- Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)
tels: 071 490 7040
- World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)
Tels: 071 793 0540
- IUCN The World Conservation Union
Tels: 010 41 22 999 0001
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